Two young "tearaway" brothers suspected of being behind a series of violent incidents in recent weeks are being questioned over attacking and "torturing" a pair of schoolboys in South Yorkshire.

The boys, aged 10 and 11, are alleged to have randomly targeted the victims, who were burnt with cigarettes and slashed "from neck to toe" in a brutal attack that carried echoes of the killing of toddler James Bulger 16 years ago.

Police are looking into reports of at least five other incidents involving two similar aged boys in the Edlington area of Doncaster in recent weeks, The Daily Telegraph understands.

The injured and traumatised boys aged 11 and nine will tell detectives about their ordeal for the first time on Tuesday. Neighbours said that they are "cute, bubbly" youngsters who love football, supporting Manchester United, and were riding their bicycles when they were set upon on Saturday afternoon.

The two being held by police are thought to be brothers aged 11 and 10. They are understood to have been placed with foster carers in Edlington two to three weeks ago from another part of Doncaster.

A fortnight ago a young choirboy was cycling alone through a local park when he was allegedly told to hand over his bike. When he refused, his attackers allegedly dragged him off it and assaulted him, stamping on his head. The incident was reported to police and the victim was taken to the police station where pictures were taken of his bruising which was still visible yesterday.

On Monday last week police were called after two boys were seen throwing bricks at cars parked outside the local Netto supermarket. Two days later there were reported to have been seen trying to get under a security fence at the same store.

One worker said: "We have suffered at the hands of two young tearaways. They have been abusive and troublesome."

The headteacher of a local school was also said to have complained to police and social services about children being beaten up. There were also reports of two boys demanding training shoes from children outside local shops and pestering people for cigarettes and money.

The boys most recently attacked are uncle and nephew, as the nine-year-old's grandmother, who died aged 37, was the mother of the elder child.

They were riding their bikes in an area of flooded former quarries, often used by fishermen and dog walkers, when they were allegedly confronted by the two brothers, who allegedly demanded they handed over their mobile phones, £3 in pocket money and trainers.

The 11-year-old was allegedly pushed down a steep 30ft embankment and suffered a serious head injury. He was airlifted to Sheffield Children's Hospital where his condition was described as critical but stable. He has showed signs of improvement and had been taken off a ventilator.

The 10-year-old was discovered in a "dazed" state, staggering down the street barefoot, soaking wet and covered in blood and mud. He was taken to Doncaster Royal Infirmary and had surgery on a severe cut to his arm.

Downing Street said that Gordon Brown regarded it as a "shocking" incident, but cautioned against drawing any wider conclusions about the state of society.

"In his view, the overwhelming majority are well-behaved and have good upbringings, and therefore he would be cautious about reaching any general conclusion about what is a disturbing but singular event," the Prime Minister's spokesman said.

Both the injured boys are pupils at a local primary school.

A woman neighbour of the ten-year-old, who asked not to be named, saw his mother after the incident.

She said: "She was choked up, gutted and couldn't speak about it. The boys were never any trouble. They both loved football, they were always together. He wasn't a bad 'un."

Edlington is set in the picturesque countryside near Doncaster. The village was built to serve the local coal pit but when that ceased production after the miners' strike in 1985, much of the population of around 12,000 was left in abject poverty with little prospect of employment.

The village accommodates a large number of young families and children who cannot afford to rent privately or buy their own homes. The 2001 Census showed the local population to be overwhelmingly working class with only a small minority educated to A-level standard.

Last month the elected mayor of Doncaster, Martin Winter, quit following the deaths of five children known to social services during a seven-month period.

One victim was 16-month-old Amy Howson, who was killed in December 2007 when her father snapped her spine at their home in Edlington.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire police would not comment on the identity of the victims or the suspects.

South Yorkshire Police arrested the brothers on suspicion of assault on Saturday afternoon and have been granted extra time to question them by magistrates.

Paul Hart, managing director of Doncaster Metropolitan borough council, said: “This is a truly shocking and upsetting incident and we are working closely with our partners to assist the investigation.

“We can confirm that the two boys in custody have recently been placed into foster care. As this is an on-going criminal investigation we cannot add anything further at this time.”

The suspects have five brothers and step-brothers. Their 13 year old brother was sent to a Young Offenders’ Institution earlier this year for robbing an elderly woman and other offences.

Their father and mother split up at Christmas whilst the family were living in Wheatley on the other side of Doncaster. He moved to Edlington, leaving the boys with their mother.

Soon after, one of the two brothers was accused of snatching a nine year old girl’s £35 doll in the street and burning it in front of her.

A former neighbour said: “They grabbed a doll from one girl and set it alight in front of her, it was sadistic.

“The police and community support officers used to be at the house on a regular basis until the boys moved last month.”

The problem became so bad that people in the area asked for the family to be evicted and their were regular meetings with tenants and council officials.

There were reports of the boys sitting on the walls of gardens and scooping up handfuls of gravel to throw at passing cars and buses.

When drivers got out to complain the brothers were alleged to have just stood in the street and laughed.

The pair were also suspected of breaking the windows of a woman’s home while she was away at a funeral.

One woman said: “When we complained the mum would just shrug it off and say she couldn’t control them.”

Another former neighbour said when social workers arrived to take the brothers into foster care a few weeks ago “we all breathed a huge sigh of relief.”

An 11 year old choirboy described how he was the victim of an almost identical attack to the one in which two young schoolfriends were seriously injured.

Callam Reynolds feared he was “going to die” after he was lured to the same spot where the boys were left for dead a week later.

He was punched, kicked and stamped on by two youngsters who allegedly told him exactly how they would kill him. But when detectives were due to question two brothers over the beating the pair failed to show.

The incident happened a week ago last Saturday as Callam was walking to a friend’s house to play football.

He said: “I didn’t know these lads, they came up and asked if they could have a kick of my ball, so I let them.

“Then they asked if I wanted to see a giant toad they had found down at the pond, so I went with them.

“When we go there they turned nasty and started pushing me, then one of them punched me and the next thing I knew they were kicking me.

“I fell on the floor and then I felt this boot stamping down on my face, I was terrified,” said the boy who still bore the bruises from the assault.

“They were shouting they we’re going to kill me, they were going to smash my head with a brick and then stab me with a knife, and they were going to dump me in the pond.

“I was petrified, I really believed that I was going to die. Then this bloke came over and told me I had 20 seconds to save myself.

“He told me to run, so I did. I ran as fast as my little legs would carry me, I felt like I was running for my life.”

When he arrived home sobbing and covered in blood and bruises his mother immediately called police,

Kerry Reynolds, 37, said: “He was in a terrible state, he was crying his heart out. I was horrified. It took me ages to calm him down. I’m sure that if it hadn’t been for that man my boy would be dead.”

She claimed that she was visited twice in two days by police, but felt there was not enough urgency in their response to the reported attack.

Then she was told the suspects had failed to report to the local police station for questioning – at the same time as the cruel attack on two young fishing pals was taking place at the very same spot.

Mrs Reynolds said: “When I heard what had happened this weekend I was in the shop. I felt physically sick. I just burst into tears.

“Ever since I’ve hardly been able to sleep, just thinking what might have happened if that man hadn’t come along. My boy got lucky, he came home alive.

“I truly believe that if they hadn’t been disturbed they would have killed Callam.”

Callam added: “I’ve been too scared to go out and I won’t leave home without my brother or cousin. I don’t know what to think, there’s part of me that is scared of what might have been, but they got away with it."

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “We are unable to discuss these proceedings due to the constraints of the law in relation to such matters.”